All that is Gold
by Guadian na Siochana
Summary: Aragorn meets a young half-elf on his way to his encampment. The two form a bond of trust towards each other..but in the end, can collided worlds remain intact, or will the force cause them to break, shattering the hearts of the innocent with it?
1. Prologue: Airia

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And as soon as he uttered the words, his mind leapt back; through the years and the memories, through the turmoil and through the inner pain of what had been lost so long ago...all lying deep within his heart--diminished to a trust of tears.

* * *

_It hasn't been long now, not really, though the days drag on, and the suspense of each moment is not lost on me. I feel a sense of agonizing frustration; an animal trapped in a cage. I cannot act, not with the lives of the ones I love held in the balance. The comprehension of the 'who's and why's' fill my mind—it is all I can think about. The words they utter slide easily, so easily…almost under my ever-vigilant senses, but yet I feel a mask of something else behind them. Deceit perhaps? The surface is love, but I fear something more. Undercurrents of lies, and I dare not trust myself… for once, I cannot risk trusting myself.. It is not only my safety at sake, not this time. The acts of betrayal concern her as well; her life hangs in the balance of my decisions, each and every one. _

_I've been told that I'm naturally fearful of these things; that this paranoia darkens my soul. I just can't take things for what they are, so they say. But I think differently. The times are hard but I've learned to trust myself, because if I don't I will wind up regretting it later. It was a hard lesson to learn that my first instincts are normally correct, because I didn't want to believe it. But now I have, and I am forced to cope with it, belief coerced into my soul. It's hard to go back, and in this case I cannot. _

_Her name is Airia. She is of four years in the years of men, though she is half man and half elf. Her birthday falls on what some call the last of the dark days, though they be the beginning. It is only with the foreboding of my heart that I entrust her to you, for I do not wish her life to become entangled in these affairs. I know that given the right guidance…she can overcome whatever may face her. I only ask that you give her that. No riches, no favoritism…I do not ask the best of life for her, only the encouragement and support she may need as time passes onward. _

_I thank you with all of my heart…and I pray that one-day, I may see her life spared out of this, from your efforts and from mine. Thank you. _

The man scanned the contents of the letter with his eyes and sighed, bringing his coarse hands to his head and through his wavy hair. He glanced at the little girl between his fingers, barely visible in the high grasslands of Rohan. Her light, reddish tinted hair and clothing camouflaged her, only her green eyes and outline of her small body stood out. He rubbed his hands through his hair, then sighed and let them fall to his sides. A child of four years, to travel and toil by his side? By Eru, the Valar must be in a humorous mood this evening. He sighed, and sat a few paces next to her to contemplate his situation.

'It cannot be done,' were his first thoughts upon watching the torn pieces of the message blow away in a gust of Rohirric wind. He could not be concerned of her safety if she was defenseless; it would mean that the times would come all too often that even if he tried with all his being, her life could be lost. He could not have that responsibility on his hands, though he loved children and their innocence, he would not that innocence tainted by the darkness of evil.

He subconsciously turned the matter over in his mind as he reread the note that had been pinned to the girl's dark cloak with a silvery brooch. How long has she even been here? He was deeply grateful no stray wargs or hillmen or such had found her, or he would have come across her in quite a different circumstance. Yet nomatter how many times he read the letter, no direct conclusion came to him.

Sighing, the man stood and sifted through the tall grass until he found the little girl curled up on the sun-caked ground. Some of the cracks in it were bigger than his hand…it had been a dry season. All that was visible of the girl was her brown leather boots and her dirty blonde hair, her cloak shielding the rest of her. The way it shimmered it almost seemed to be of Lorien-kind, though he wondered how her mother could have passed through their gates and won the favor of the Lady, then left a child to fare for their own in the middle of nowhere. Lady Galadriel was not one to hesitate to send a piercing gaze anyone's way, and she would surely have seen this. And why had the mother not left the child in Lorien? She would have been much safer in a haven such as that her current location, without a doubt.

Looking at the child's motionless form, it seemed apparent that her mother had drugged her to sleep for some reason or another, possibly to prevent her from wandering off or following her. But how was such a place as this better than any?

_'First things first,'_ he thought. Questions would have to come later…he couldn't leave her here. Only a fool would think of making a fire in the plains; even if a large enough area was cleared out to perfection, the chances of wind blowing a fiery strand into the grassland were too much to consider.

_"Thankfully, fire is the one thing I need right now,"_he muttered sarcastically, his clear grey eyes scanning the horizon in contemplation. Fire was the only way he could make anything medical to wake her up; common skills wouldn't work against the drug the mother must have used…the child was too far in the void.

Come to a decision, he sighed, calling his grey stted to his side and repacking what little he had brought with him. It seemed the best he could do was to return to his camp, and bring Airia with him. Even if she couldn't stay with him for long, he couldn't leave her alone.

He bent over to pick her up, and when he lifted her onto Amdir's back he was surprised at her lightness. Half-elven indeed she must be, most likely more elven than human. He then picked up a leather bag beside her and secured it next to his own, then mounted behind her.

_"__Noro, Amdir,"_ he whispered. The reaction time was minimal; Amdir's response was almost instantaneous to his friend's demand as he galloped away from the plains, leaving the scenery behind.

Little did the man know that words from times long ahead would come back and refer to this very day; his own words, accompanied by memories to return to haunt him for the rest of his life. But even as they rode through the darkening dusk, his thoughts only looked forward…not knowing forward would inevitably change its gaze back to the present.


	2. Chapter I

_AN: I apologize for the break in update! Things got very busy, vacation and other things...so I apologize. _

_I wanted to also thank those who reviewed, Sadgirl101 and Lady of the Rebel Angels. Your words meant a lot and inspired me to keep going with this story, many thanks!_

_This chapter is short as well...I have been very low on time, an in addition this had to be one of those fun 'filler chapters,' where we get the basis for the story down. But things will definitely pick up after this...so please stay tuned._

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It had been many days since the two had deserted the plains of Rohan, and yet still the child slept on_. "The drugs must have been strong,"_ he thought with a sigh.The man sat with his back against a tree, his knees brought up to his chest. A slight wind rustled the leaves above, and he turned his gaze upwards in thought, not seeing the bright shapes above in their nuance of greens. He did not favor the idea of one so young being medicated thus—even after she awoke, it would still take a while longer for her to truly recover.

A companionship of two made their way to the small encampment that the man had set up a good few hours prior. Their eyes held the brightness of the elves--one of a piercing blue and another of a dark, almost mesmerizing green. Upon seeing the man, the elf bearing the green eyes lightly touched the shoulder of his companion. Both hesitated for a moment as their eyes scanned the situation, then with a nod of confirmation from one, they both silently proceeded forwards.

"_Mae govannen, mellon nin," _the blue-eyed elf said quietly, her voice almost lower than the wind whisping gently around them.

"_Mara aure, Inwe," _the man said, his eyes looking up to meet hers.

"It is good to see the both of you…may I have the honor of knowing who this is?"

"Aye Estel…likewise to you. It has been long," Inwe replied. "This is my cousin, Legolas…we were patrolling the borders when we came across your camp.

"An honor to meet you, Master Legolas."

"Likewise to you, Estel," he said, sweeping his twilight-hued cloak in a bow.

Legolas' eyes returned to the young maiden they had touched upon previously, and crouched down next to the tree where Airia lay. He gently brushed her hair away from her face, now pale in unconsciousness with one hand, resting the other on her shoulder. "And who might this one be?" he inquired, tilting his head as he turned his gaze to the human.

Aragorn hesitated a moment before answering as both Inwe's and Legolas' eyes met his own, each sifting through his darkened eyes as if able to discern what had occurred. "She is half-elven…four in the years of men," Aragorn started. "I found her in the plains of Rohan a few days ago, a note pinned to her asking one to care for her. Upon normal circumstances, as you know Inwe…I would not be able to take her, but I feared that another would find her and lead to dire end. To answer your question, Legolas…her name is Airia."

A certain aura of darkness flashed across the inquirer's face, though when Aragorn looked up, the moment had passed.

"I see. I sense something…about her. It would be good to use care, my friend."

Aragorn nodded, but said nothing. The child's innocence pulled at his heart, and in her calm sleeping state she seemed perfect. He had not seen such beauty for too long…

He had wrapped her in a blanket near the fire, leaning her against a tree to prevent her from rolling in to the flames as she slept. Her mother must have given her an over-dosage of the drug she had used; he had never seen the effects of any sleeping medication last this long yet. The chances of her waking to the antidote were small, and he silently cursed her parent for being as careless as such. Too much and she could have killed her…

He retrieved his leather packs from Amdir's back and quickly rummaged inside one of them, searching for an antidote to sleeping herbs. After a few moments he found what he needed, protruding a small green bottle, and crouched next to the girl.

With a nod from Inwe, Legolas murmured a quick farewell, once again placing his hand on the small girl and closing his eyes for a few moments. Inwe watched him critically for a few moments, and their actions were not lost on the man. Almost as if sensing his awareness, she offered him a small smile and embrace. "It has been long, my friend…we shall meet again soon."

"Aye, we will. Your company has been brief, though appreciated…my thanks."

She nodded, her short, almost white hair brushing against the quiver of arrows that adorned her back. "_Tolo hi, Legolas_…we must be off."

"Namarie, Aragorn."

The man watched the two leave, Inwe giving him one last searching look with those eyes, so clear and revealing, before they both had vanished into the trees.

Sighing, Aragorn rubbed his head with his hands as if to clear the doubt that lay there. Looking again at the girl, he wondered under what circumstances her mother had left her. There had been no reports that had been brought to his ears that signified any kind of uprising against enemy forces….

Taking her in his lap, he untied the leather cord with one hand, then passed the strong-smelling container under her nose and held his hand there, and waited for the effects to ensue. The chances of her waking would not be great…and he wanted to talk with her before she found herself amongst unfamiliar people.

After what seemed like an age, he finally noticed her intake a short gasp of breath.

"Airia," he called in a whisper.

She looked up, her dark green eyes meeting grey. They almost matched Legolas', and he was slightly taken aback. So dark, and yet it was so hard to look away…

"Are you alright, _penneth_? Where is your mother?"

"_Heniach nin_?" she whispered after a slight hesitation.

"_Ai, penneth nin_," he replied softly in the Elven tongue. "But for now, we must speak in Westron. Can you understand me?"

She nodded.

"You are well taught, Airia. Do you know where your mother is?"

Airia hesitated a moment, shifting her gaze behind him. A slight breeze blew back her pale hair, reminiscent of the hues of the sunlight above, and yet of the shade…so bright, yet also calm. She was adorned in only pale, loose leggings and a simple tunic, prone to subconsciously drawing her hand to touch a pendent around her neck, strung by a leather cord. "What's your name?" she ventured eventually.

"You may call me Estel, if you like," Aragorn replied, using his old Sindarin name. Many memories it held, but it should not prove too dangerous…her hesitant demeanor was not lost on him. It would be unwise for him now to tell the child his name, should she fall into the wrong hands. That knowledge could prove perilous to him, but even more so to her.

"Estel," he repeated.

"_Ai_." Airia avoided his gaze for a few moments, and then met his eyes. "'Hope,' Momma says. Estel is hope."

"Very good_, penneth_, that is correct. Estel translates to hope in Westron. Where is she?" Aragorn repeated after a moment, searching her eyes. Yet it came as no shock when there was no reply after a brief silence.

"Airia…" Aragorn sighed, apparently indecisive. Trust was too hard to come by in days such as these, and Legolas' reaction to her had left him slightly wary. He let her name hang in the air for a few moments, then seemed to come to a conclusion. "You don't have to tell me now. But eventually, you will have to. None can be too careful in these times. Do you understand?"

"Ai, Estel."

Aragorn nodded, brushing his dark hair out of his eyes. "Very well, then. For now, I can take you back to the camp…but I will need you to let me talk to the men there first, with no interruptions, and for you to let me answer all of their questions. I would prefer you not talk to them at all. For now, I think it's best that most of them know as little as possible, and especially not in Sindarin. _Heniach_?"

Airia shook her head to indicate she would, though she still seemed slightly groggy. He offered his hand to help her up, which she ignored, and promptly stood up on her own and walked over to his horse, causing the human to grin. She had already developed a sense of independence toward him, it seemed.

"Pretty," she muttered, holding her hand up to touch the soft gray of the horse's coat.

"Aye, he is, _penneth nin_. His name is Amdir…he is a good friend. Treat him well."

"I will," she muttered, eyes wide as she leaned back so she could see the horse's eyes."

"Are you ready to leave?"

The blonde head nodded in reply, casting her dark eyes up at him.

Inwardly he sighed in hesitation; he had his doubts about leaving the camp so quickly…she wasn't ready, and had only woken up moments before…yet a small prickle in the back of his mind had been growing, and he had an uneasy feeling about remaining.

"I am ready to go, Estel," she said.

"Then we ride, young one," he replied. He quickly went through their small clearing, erasing all signs of human presence, and doused his doubts with the fire behind.


End file.
